(Football news) Premier League leaders Arsenal have signed Jorginho from Chelsea in a deal worth £12m as they push to win the title. The 31 year old has signed an 18-month contract with an optional one year extension. The player had just six months remaining on his existing deal with Chelsea and would have left for free in the summer. Mikel Arteta signed Jorginho in 2018 and 2020 for Manchester City and Arsenal but has now finally got his man.
The player won the Champions League for Chelsea in 2020 and lifted the European Championships with Italy the year before. The transfer is a significant one for the Gunners as Arsenal are short on options in midfield after Mohamed ELneny’s “significant” knee injury while Albert Sambi Lokonga has joined Crystal Palace on loan. Thomas Partey is also doubtful due to a rib injury. The Gunners bid twice for Moises Cancelo in the final week of January but Burnley chose not to sell him.
Speaking to the Arsenal website about Arteta, Jorginho said: “He was a big influence because I know that he tried a few times to get me before and it didn’t happen due to other reasons, not because of my wishes. I’m very excited for this new challenge, and I just can’t wait to be on the pitch to be honest! Everything has happened so fast. I was a bit surprised, but I took the opportunity of this amazing challenge.”
Jorginho could prove to be a valuable addition to Arsenal as he is a calm and experienced player who has a winning mentality and is a leader in the dressing room. He will provide Arsenal’s midfield with a different dynamic, giving a sense of security in possession as well as taking on responsibility.
Moreover, Jorginho will not take time to adapt to the Premier League and will provide some much needed depth to the Gunners in a position that was looking thin, particularly with the Europa League starting soon. Arsenal are in pole position to win the Premier League for the first time in 20 years, which means they will need the depth, experience and the winning mentality to cope up with the demands of a title challenge.
With Thomas Partey out with a rib injury, Arsenal’s title challenge has taken a massive dent. WIth the Ghanaian in the side, Arsenal has won 74% of their games compared to just 50% without him. Signing Jorginho is the right move by Mikel Arteta, particularly considering that waiting to sign Declan Rice in the summer, especially with a potential title challenge on the horizon, seemed like too big a risk. The Gunners will compete in four Premier League games in 14 days at the start of February, which means they will need all hands on deck.
Also read: Chelsea sign Enzo Fernandez from Benfica in £106.8m British-record transfer deal
